What is Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa is a mental disease that causes people to go to extremes to lose weight - including starving themselves, taking laxatives and exercising way too much. Anorexia can affect anyone, but most people who get it are teen girls. If it's not treated, it could kill you.The Signs of Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia tend to hide their symptoms, so it can take some time to spot. Here's a few of the signs that someone might have anorexia:- They've lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
- They're obsessed with food. This can include talking constantly about food, obsessively reading food labels or cooking for other people (without eating anything themselves).
- They complain about being fat, even if they're totally thin.
- They eat their food in strange ways, like cutting it up into tiny pieces or pushing it around their plates.
- They skip meals, or they only eat or drink a tiny amount at meals.
- They're obsessed with exercising and work out until they're exhausted.
- Their skin has a yellowish tint.
- There's a fine hair growing on their skin. This hair is called lanugo and bodies grow it to keep you warm when you've lost too much fat.
Treatment for Anorexia
If anorexia isn't treated in time, it could be deadly, so it's important to seek help for it right away. Treatment usually includes:- Medical treatment for any side effects, like heart problems and osteoporosis, that may have been caused by the anorexia.
- Monitoring, sometimes at a hospital, until the patient's weight reaches a healthier level.
- Nutritional counseling, to teach the patient how to eat and exercise in healthy ways.
- Psychological help, to teach the patient to respect their body. When it comes down to it, anorexia is a mental disorder, and it can't fully be cured until the patient changes his or her body image and mindset about eating.
What to Do If You Think You Have Anorexia
If you think you have anorexia nervosa, tell someone immediately so you can start getting help. If you're not ready to tell your parents or friends, call the Eating Disorder Help Line. It's a free call, and they're open 24 hours a day. The important thing is to tell someone.Does Your Friend Have Anorexia?
If you're worried that a friend of yours might have an eating disorder, check the signs. This tip sheet will tell you what you should and shouldn't do about it.Famous People With Anorexia
Celebrities can sometimes be more at risk for contracting anorexia than the rest of us, because they're constantly under pressure to stay thin and look good. Some famous people who have admitted to having symptoms of anorexia:- Victoria Beckham
- Mary-Kate Olsen
- Portia de Rossi
- Karen Carpenter (a singer in the 1970's, Karen's one of the most famous celebrities to die of complications due to anorexia)
- Wynonna Judd
- Jaime Pressly
- Felicity Huffman
- Tara Reid
- Christina Ricci
- Alanis Morissette
- Christy Henrich (a gymnast in the 1980's who developed anorexia and died of multiple organ failure at age 22)
- Sally Field
- Calista Flockhart
- Fiona Apple
- Audrey Hepburn